~1967 D'Aquisto Hagstrom Prototype Sunburst

C. 1967 Jimmy D'Aquisto Hagstrom Prototype in great condition. Around 1966 Jimmy D'Aquisto began a project with Hagstrom guitars in Sweden where he would train their builders to make high quality archtops in the style of what he was building at the time. As part of this project Jimmy was flown to Sweden where he built a handful of guitars under the watchful eye of Hagstroms builders on site at the Bjärton Hagstrom factory for them to attempt to replicate his work. This instrument is one of the prototype guitars Jimmy built out of an estimated 4 or 5 thought to exist.  Bearing almost all of the hallmarks of a D'Aquisto Excel, this double bound 17" archtop guitar features an X braced carved spruce top, carved flame maple back and sides, 3 piece maple neck, ebony fingerboard with stylized pearl block inlays, and a beautifully carved ebony bridge. Interestingly this guitar features a non-tapered peghead and a Hagstrom style truss rod, possibly designed to accommodate the goal of eventually building these instruments at the Hagstrom factory. Also noteworthy is that this instrument features a shorter than typical 24.75" scale length. In 2016 Leroy Aiello performed restoration work on this instrument including replacing the binding which had begun off-gassing and damaging the finish, as well as making a reproduction pickguard. The tailpiece is partially replaced, the section that attaches to the guitar was destroyed by binding rot but is included in the case. The part that holds the strings is original to the guitar. The entire guitar has been oversprayed.   The neck carve feels characteristically D'Aquisto with a 1 3/4" nut, and a profile of 0.93" at the first fret and 0.96" at the 10th fret. Weight is 6.54lbs. Comes with a hardshell case.